[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
G. O.
516
[February 2311983
RECE SEOTION 10.
BEGE 5 APR 07)
}
[6013]
(No. 4.) Sir,
No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received February 23.)
Peking, January 3, 1907. WITH reference to my despatch No. 522 of the 11th December, I have the honour to inclose copy of a despatch from His Majesty's Consul-General at Canton, reporting the finding of a Court of Inquiry into the circumstances of the " Feinam" piracy, which was held on the 28th October, 1906.
In an inclosure of a despatch of the 10th November, 1904, received from His Majesty's Acting Consul-General at Canton, copy of which was inclosed in Mr. Carnegie's despatch No. 276 of the 25th June, 1906, attention was drawn to the doubtful character of Mr. Fisher's ownership of launches which were registered in His Majesty's Consulate- General as his property, and it appears to me that the issue of King's Regulations in the sense proposed by Mr. Carnegie (in the despatch above mentioned) would give His Majesty's Consuls more effective power to prevent incidents of the "Feinam" type, and to secure a better regulation of launches engaged in inland trade under the British flag.
I have, &c. (Signed)
(No. 51.) Sir,
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Consul-General Mansfield to Sir J. Jordan.
J. N. JORDAN.
Canton, December 17, 1906. F HAVE the honour to forward herewith copy of the finding of a Court of Inquiry held into the circumstances of the piracy on the 28th October last of the steam- launch "Feinam," which formed the subject of your telegram to me of the 9th ultimo, No. 33, and of my telegraphic reply, No. 28, of the 12th November.
I regret the delay in obtaining full details for your information, but feel confident that the very unsatisfactory state of things recorded at the above-mentioned inquiry will convince you of the difficulties with which I have had to contend.
I am taking in hand at once the whole system of the registration and working of British steam-launches in these waters, and hope to place these craft on a more satisfactory footing than has obtained in the past.
I have brought to the notice of the Viceroy the action of the guard-boat at Feng Ch'uan, and urged upon him the necessity of a stringent investigation, with a view to severe punishment, should the circumstances be as reported.
I will report to you shortly on the general question of piracy in the inland waters.
I have, &c.
R. W. MANSFIELD.
(Signed)
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
AN Inquiry held at His Britannic Majesty's Consulate-General, the 27th November, 1906, into the circumstances of the piracy of the steam-launch "Feinam," near Feng Ch'uan on the 28th October, 1906.
Finding.
THAT the piracy was committed on the British launch "Feinam off Feng Ch'uan
on the 28th October last, under the following circumstances :--
The launch arrived at the head of the Feng Ch'uan River off the City Gate after 7P.M., and was boarded by men from the guard-boat stationed at the landing stage, who
[2376 -10]